This invention relates to a process for the production of tetrabromo-4,4'-alkylidenediphenols, commonly referred to as tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA). The process of this invention is based on the bromination of alkylidenediphenols in the presence of an organic solvent and the subsequent treatment of the recovered product whereby a high yield of high quality TBBPA product is obtained.
Nuclear brominated phenolic compounds, such as tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and tribromophenol, are used in plastic materials and synthetic resins as flameproofing agents. TBBPA is particularly important for this purpose, since it can be incorporated reactively into polymers systems, for instance epoxy resins and polyesters, via the two phenolic hydroxyl groups. For this application, it is desirable to use high quality TBBPA. The products must be as free as possible from byproducts, have good color characteristics and be essentially free from impurities. Due to the need for such high quality TBBPA products, there continues to be a need for improved processes for the formation of such highly purified products.